The Fifth Annual MacRumors Blood Drive runs for the month of May 2014. We ask you to donate blood and platelets this month. We also ask you to register for the bone marrow registry and register as an organ donor. We welcome first-time donors and we'll be glad to explain the details, give you tips if you're nervous, and congratulate you afterwards. Remember that every donor was once a first-time donor, and every donor is a hero every time they donate.

We hope to top our Blood Drive results from our four previous Blood Drives. Your donations will help other people survive or recover from injury, surgery, or illness, cure someone of a life-threatening disease, or preserve the life of someone who suffers organ failure.

How to participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive:

1. Donate blood or platelets, in May if possible. Register as a bone marrow donor. Register as an organ donor.

Since we're in cyberspace we don't collect blood ourselves. Donate blood or platelets at a donation center or hospital in your area. Pick a day when you can spare an hour (for blood) or a couple of hours (for platelets) and make an appointment.

To register to be a stem cell or bone marrow donor you typically fill out a form and have your cheek swabbed. Nothing to it!

Registering as an organ donor is just as easy. Depending on your country, most of it can be done online by filling out a form. You may be asked to sign a donor card or put a sticker on your driver's license.

The reward for donating or registering is personal satisfaction that's hard to describe. But we want to add to your reward by giving you a well-deserved pat on the back.

After you donate, we suggest that you take a selfie of your bandage or plaster, the small mark on your arm, a thumbs-up, or your post-donation snack and juice, then post it here. Or post just to tell us about your donation or registration experience. If you donated blood or platelets, tell us how many units and if you're a first-time donor. Tell us if you've just registered as a bone marrow donor or an organ donor.

We're keeping an Honor Roll to give you public thanks for your generosity, and to encourage others.

3. Spread the word

Not everyone can donate blood. Some people are unable or ineligible based on the often controversial eligibility rules in their country. Even if you can't donate blood, you can probably register as a marrow and organ donor. Please support our drive whether or not you can donate blood yourself.

Let others know about the need for these donations. Convince a friend, relative, classmate, or coworker to donate blood. If you do, tell us about it. We want to recognize your actions.

This thread is for celebrating the participants in the MacRumors Blood Drive. If you want to discuss restrictions on gay donors or other related social issues, please post in the Blood donor eligibility thread.

The following MacRumors users have reported their blood, platelet, or plasma donation in this thread. Members who have just registered for the bone marrow registry or just have registered as an organ donor are also listed.

Congratulations and thank you for doing your part to help people in need!

I "did the deed" a few weeks past, and am not scheduled again until mid-June.

A bit of advice: before heading down to the clinic, drink a few 100mL of water. A while back I had a very slow donation supposedly because of slightly thicker than normal blood. Just normal daily variation, but having a big drink of water a bit before donating the next time made that donation among the fastest I have had.

Nice timing, just donated blood yesterday! They have the drive every 8 weeks at my work, so it makes it super easy to donate a little time and sit there and read Macrumors for a few minutes while the blood drains out.

What's the apheresis equivelent of a "blue moon"? Since today is the first of May and the alternate Thursday I donate at the Warner Center American Red Cross Donor Center (home of the friendliest blood-draining crew in America!) , I'm set up to get in three donations this month.

I'm also in the bone marrow registry and actually matched to someone. And of course there's a donor dot on my license.

I donate as frequently as I'm allowed (currently every 12 weeks for whole blood donations from males in the UK) and my next donation will be on 5 June 2014. To everyone who is about to donate - WELL DONE - to those who are thinking about it - GET ON WITH IT

At my wife's behest, I started donating last August, I'm now scheduled for number 5 in a couple of weeks. It couldn't be easier, and you will get the most wonderful feeling that you've done something that is actually beneficial to your fellow humans! The Canadian Blood Services staff who coordinate clinics here (Vancouver Island in BC) are all friendly, very professional and serve up awesome juice, cookies and tea at the end

I have a relatively rare blood type (B-), accounting for just over 1% of the population, so I feel it's quite important that I go as often as possible. You WILL be helping save someones life, and you will feel wonderful about it.

Cheers!

Steve

Last edited by haggisman; May 5, 2014 at 01:25 PM.
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